Odisha ‘sextortion’ case: ED seizes incriminating documents, digital evidence

PTI, Nov 14, 2022, 6:33 PM IST

The ED on Monday said it has seized ”incriminating” documents, digital evidence and mobile phones during recent searches carried out in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to an alleged ”sextortion” racket that recently surfaced in Odisha.

The action was undertaken against prime accused Archana Nag, her husband Jagabandhu Chand, his alleged aide Khageshwar Patra and Sharadhanjali Behera, an associate of Nag, on November 10.

A total of seven premises in the state were searched, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement.

The raids were conducted as part of an ”ongoing money-laundering investigation being carried out by the ED in a high-profile sextortion racket operated by Archana Nag and her associates by targeting influential and affluent persons”, it added.

The money-laundering probe stems from two Odisha Police FIRs filed against the accused. Nag and Chand were arrested by the police last month. They are currently lodged in jail under judicial custody.

The ED arrested Patra recently and he is in the federal agency’s custody till November 21, the statement said.

”Patra, an active and close associate of Archana Nag, was involved in acquiring and generating properties worth crores of rupees through extortion by way of honey-trapping high-profile and rich people and secretly making their inappropriate videos and threatening and blackmailing them for lodging false police cases against them,” it said.

These videos were also posted on social media platforms, the ED said.